Dave Sexton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dave Sexton
Personal information
Full name	Dave Sexton
Date of birth	April 6, 1930
Place of birth	Islington, London, England
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1951-52 1952-55 1956-57 1957-58 1959	Luton Town West Ham United Leyton Orient Brighton & Hove Albion Crystal Palace	? (?) ? (?) ? (?) ? (?) ? (?)
Teams managed
1965 1967-74 1974-77 1977-81 1977-90 1981-83 1994-96	Leyton Orient Chelsea Queens Park Rangers Manchester United England U-21 Coventry City England U-21
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Dave Sexton (born April 6, 1930 in Islington, London) is a retired English football manager and player.

Son of former professional boxer, Archie Sexton, he started his playing career with West Ham United in 1948. Playing mainly at inside-forward, he would finish his career with time at Luton Town, Leyton Orient, Brighton and Hove Albion, and Crystal Palace. His biggest success came at Brighton, where he won the Division Three South title in 1957-58.

He started off as a coach at Chelsea, before leaving to begin his managerial career at Leyton Orient in 1965. Two years later he returned to Chelsea to become manager following the departure of Tommy Docherty and led the club to FA Cup success in 1970 and the Cup Winners' Cup a year later. Chelsea also reached the League Cup final in 1972, but lost to Stoke City. Sexton then fell out with several important players, such as Peter Osgood and Alan Hudson, who were subsequently sold. This, combined with other problems at the club, ensured that Sexton didn't come close to repeating his earlier success and he was sacked after a poor start to the 1974-75 season.

Shortly afterwards, he was appointed manager of Queens Park Rangers. With a team containing the likes of Stan Bowles and Gerry Francis, as well as players recruited from ex-club Chelsea, John Hollins and David Webb, Sexton took Rangers to within a point of the League title in 1975-76. They were top after playing their final game, but Liverpool's late win over Wolverhampton Wanderers denied them.

He took over at Manchester United - curiously, again succeeding Tommy Docherty - but his reign was characterised by dour football and was not popular with the fans. In appointing Sexton it appeared as if the United board had again opted for safety following the tumultuous tenure of Docherty.

An articulate yet shy man who found it difficult to communicate with both press and players, despite his obvious coaching qualities his reign at Old Trafford failed to deliver any trophies and in the pressure atmosphere that was engulfing United, Sexton seemed an inevitable casuality. The highlight was an FA Cup final appearance in 1979, losing 3-2 to Arsenal in a dramatic match, and finishing as league runners-up to Liverpool in 1979-80. Sexton was dismissed in April 1981, despite having won his final seven games in charge, and managed Coventry City before going into semi-retirement.

Sexton also had a very successful period as coach of the England's Under-21 side, and won the UEFA Under 21's Championship twice, in 1982 and 1984. After that he went on the become the FA's first Technical Director at the FA's National School at Lilleshall in 1984. He also wrote a very interesting, easy-to-read book on coaching a soccer team for coaches of all levels called "Tackle Soccer."

Preceded by: Benny Fenton	Leyton Orient F.C. manager 1965	Succeeded by: Dick Graham
Preceded by: Tommy Docherty	Chelsea F.C. manager 1967-1974	Succeeded by: Ron Suart
Preceded by: Gordon Jago	Queens Park Rangers F.C. manager 1974-1977	Succeeded by: Frank Sibley
Preceded by: Tommy Docherty	Manchester United F.C. manager 1977-1981	Succeeded by: Ron Atkinson
Preceded by: none	England national U-21 football team manager 1977-1990	Succeeded by: Lawrie McMenemy
Preceded by: Gordon Milne	Coventry City F.C. manager 1981-1983	Succeeded by: Bobby Gould
Preceded by: Lawrie McMenemy	England national U-21 football team manager 1994-1996	Succeeded by: Peter Taylor